


Sometimes All You Need is a Little Reminder

by Castiel_in_the_impala



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Car Accidents, Dean loses his memory, Gen, Hurt Dean Winchester, Memory Loss, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-12 22:16:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12969564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Castiel_in_the_impala/pseuds/Castiel_in_the_impala
Summary: John Doe works at a gas station. Has for... 3 months. It’s all he’s ever known. Well, that and the uneasy feeling in his stomach.After a man comes in claiming that his name is Dean, things change.





	Sometimes All You Need is a Little Reminder

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah so I typed this at whatever the hell o’clock in the morning on my phone. Even though it's short as heck, I kinda like it :) enjoy

Dean turned down another nameless road, sighing to himself. He’s been driving for a while now.  Driving baby calms him, clears his head in ways he doesn’t understand. The rumble of her engine, the feel of her wheel under his fingertips, the steady vibration of tires over open road, it’s all just centering. It makes him feel whole…

Too bad she’s out of commission with a flat. 

Driving Cas’ truck isn’t so bad though. His stomach growls. He feels in his pocket for his wallet, only to realize he left it at the bunker after he rushed out. He sighs again, recalling the reason as to why he’s out here driving aimlessly. He doesn’t  _ mean  _ to fight with Cas. It just kinda…  _ happens _ . He just gets so worried sometimes and Cas doesn’t understand how important he is to Dean and gets himself into trouble and-

The tape in the deck ends so he reaches over to grab another from his box in the passenger seat.

Suddenly, there’s a bright light and a crack of pain. Blessedly, all goes dark. 

  
  


There’s faint beeping at the edges of his consciousness. With incredibly heavy eyelids, he opens his eyes,only to be blinded by the bright lights overhead. 

He lets his eyes adjust and squints, taking in his surroundings. The room is white. Just white. Machines are beeping and buzzing next to him. The sounds make his head hurt. 

Now that he thinks about it, he hurts  _ all over _ . 

“How’s our John Doe?” a voice suddenly speaks as two bodies walk in. 

“No change,” the other responds. 

He shifts to get a better view of the people. 

“Oh! Thank god you’re awake,” It’s owner, the first man, seems to have the kindness not to speak loudly as to hurt his head any more. 

The man comes up next to him and shines a light in his eyes. He shuts them immediately, hands covering his face as he groans in pain. 

“Light  _ hurts _ ,” he stresses. 

The man makes a disappointed noise. 

“Can you tell me your name?” He asks after a moment. 

He thinks for a moment, but his mind comes up blank. He recalls the man referring to him as John Doe, so that must be his name. 

“John,” he responds. 

“Well, John. How are you feeling?”

John shifts slightly, assessing his injuries. 

“My ribs hurt and my arm,” he looks down, noticing the cast for the first time, “But my head is the worst. Why does it hurt so bad?” He looks up at the man, his badge says  _ Dr. Connell _ , with pleading eyes. “I need it to  _ stop _ .”

Dr. Connell looks at him sadly. “I’m sorry, John. You’re all maxed out on morphine. You’re at Southern Nebraska General Hospital. You were in a bad car accident earlier this afternoon. You have three broken ribs, a fracture in your right arm, a skull fracture, and a severe concussion. Frankly, it’s a miracle you’re conscious. Those types of injuries often result in severe brain damage. Does everything seem normal?”

John doesn’t know what normal is, but he nods. It makes Dr. Connell look happy. “I guess God really does exist.” John just nods again. 

Dr. Connell makes his way towards the door. “I’d like to keep you overnight for observation and run a few tests in the morning, but you can be discharged tomorrow. Is there anyone I can call for you?”

John shakes his head and Dr. Connell leaves, turning off the light on his way out and saying he’ll have the nurse come in and check on him regularly. 

John turns over in bed and closes his eyes. He can’t shake the feeling that he’s forgetting something other than his name. 

Something important. 

Someone. 

  
  


_ Three months later _

 

John begins wiping down the counter of the gas station register as his customer finishes paying. He waves goodbye and watches him walk out the door. A sleek, black car pulls in, catching his eye. It disturbs that feeling of forgetfulness he feels so often. 

A tall man and a man in a trench coat get out and being talking. John pouts as his stomach churns with the feeling. It’s never been this strong before. 

The tall man stops talking suddenly and John realizes he’s looking at him, mouth agape. Well, John  _ has _ been staring… 

Embarrassed, he goes back to cleaning the counter. 

The bell dings over the door for the two men walk in. 

“I’ sorry about the staring. I didn’t mean-“

“Dean?!” The tall man looks as if he’s about to cry. The trench coat guy just looks hard as he seemingly stares into his soul. 

John looks behind him, but no one else is in the store. He looks back at them and  _ yes _ , they are staring at  _ him _ . 

“Uh…”

“Dean where have you been? I have-  _ we _ have - been worried sick! We thought you were dead!”

“Um… sorry to break it to you, but my name’s not Dean. It’s John. John Doe.”

“Dean…” the tall man steps closer, “It’s me. Its  _ Sam _ . Your brother… And- And your friend Cas,” he motions to the man next to him, who is still staring at John will ferocious intensity. 

“I don’t know what to tell you,” John shrugs, “I’m not him. But I hope you find your Dean soon.”

Suddenly, Cas is on him, tearing the right sleeve of his shirt clean off. 

“ _ Hey! What the- _ “ he stops, transfixed by the hand shaped scar on his shoulder. He’s never seen it before.

It scares him. Just looking at it makes him feel an awful, terrifying feeling. Forgotten memories claw at his mind, laughing maniacally. 

“Where did that come from…” he questions softly, fearfully. 

“Dean…” Sam asks softly, tears brimming his eyes, “What happened to you?”

 

“Explain it again,” John says, pushing his finished coffee mug away. The three of them retreated to the diner across the street after John closed the store for the rest of the day. . 

“Three months ago, my brother Dean,  _ you _ , went missing,” Sam starts. 

“We looked everywhere,” Cas continues, “We began to think you were dead and yet here you are. Intact-“ “But without my memories,” John finishes. Sam and Cas nod. 

John mulls it over. It just doesn’t make sense. He’s never seen these guys, who are supposedly his family, ever before in his life. But… sitting here with them just feels  _ right _ . He can’t explain it. For the first time since he can remember, the strange feeling in his stomach is gone. 

“I’m sorry, I just don’t remember either of you,” he says, even though his being seems to remember them somehow. 

“Tell is what you  _ do _ remember,” Sam prompts. 

“Well,” John starts, “Three months ago I woke up in the hospital with some broken ribs, a broken arm, a skull fracture, and a concussion. The doc said I was in a car accident,” Cas mumbles something about his truck and no airbags as Dean continues, “I couldn’t remember a single thing about me. Even my name. But when the doc came into my room, he called me John Doe. I assumed that was my name. The next day, I was discharged. I knew I needed money, so I got a job at the gas station. I sleep in the break room and come here for breakfast every day.”

Sam looks at him with sorrow and Cas shakes his head. 

“No,” Cas looks into his eyes, “You are Dean Winchester. You live in Kansas in a bunker with Sam and I. You save people from evil and make the world a better place. You have saved  _ me  _ more times than I can count. You are a hero, Dean, not a gas station cashier.”

John stares into Cas’ eyes and sees nothing but the truth and heartache. His heart flutters. 

“We’re not just friends, are we, Cas?”

Cas blushes, but his gaze never falters.

John looks down at his hands, examining them for the first time. 

“My name is Dean Winchester.” 

Something clicks into place. 

“I’m a hunter.”


End file.
